BRZZVLL (pronounced Brazzaville) are a seven piece fusion band from Antwerp, Belgium. They play psychedelic jazz and funk with a modern twist. Belgium has quiet a tradition for jazz and funk infused leftfield grooves. From Marc Moulin’s ingenious Placebo to library funksters Les Chakakas / El Chicles to the much sampled JJ Band (ask Lord Finesse or Marley Marl), Belgium has always been a great place for diggin’ deeper. So when our friend Lefto (Brusseles’ premier beat ambassador and Brownswood cohort) told us about this great little band from Antwerp, our ears were wide open. After BRZZVLL band-leader Vincent Brijs played us the first demos of what would later become the album “Happy Life Creator” we had no other choice than offering the band a deal.
Recorded in Antwerp and partly mixed by Ben Ladmin aka Nostalgia 77 (Tru Thoughts) in Brighton, “Happy Life Creator” has little in common with the cool retro sound mastered by Daptone or Truth & Soul. BRZZVLL are rooted in jazz, funk and afrobeat, but their music has an unmistakeably now sound. It is freaky, it is trippy and it follows no rules. Nine songs deep with vocal contributions from Ghanaian Spoken Word artist Joy Frempong (“Lucky Haircut”) and Dez Mona front-man Gregory Frateur “Happy Life Creator” simply doesn’t fit in any of the usual boxes!
BRZZVLL have gigged with the likes of Neville Brothers, Young Blood Brass Band, Marcus Miller and Alice Russell. Their debut album been labeled “Best Belgian jazz album of 2008″ by “Le Soir”.
Designed by Antwerp artist collective afreux the LP and CD is packaged in a hand made silk screened pop-up cover, that is as outstanding as the music itself. The LP is limited to 500 copies, the CD is limited to 700 copies. Further pressings will come in a standard digipak.
The first single “Sowherto”was released in September 2010 as a limited yellow vinyl 7″ and backed with remix by Cologne techno rap producers Ampersand. Additional remixes by Dexter (MPM, Heilbronn) and Fid Mella (MPM, Vienna) have found their way into the blogosphere.
Tracklisting:
01. Loving People
02. Lucky Haircut feat. Joy Frempong
03. Hitchcock Radio
04. Jennifer Ate Mushrooms
05. Double Joy
06. Hellolleh
07. Sowhereto feat. Gregory Frateur
08. Outro
09. Deep Sauce
The album BRZZVLL “Happy Life Creator” (Melting Pot Music) is going to be released November 12, 2010.
